Elizabeth Karmel

If you have never made a cake before and love chocolate, this is the cake that you should bake. Because it is an easy cake for a beginning baker, I sometimes refer to it as the world’s easiest chocolate cake—but don’t think that it doesn’t deliver in the flavor department! The results are spectacular. Plus, this is the cake that I always make for a crowd, as you can cut it into as many as 48 pieces. In this variation on a Texas sheet cake, I’ve loaded both the cake and the icing with ground cinnamon, giving it a distinctive Tex-Mex flair.

I describe chimichurri sauce as “parsley pesto” to people who have never had it before. I prefer using curly parsley over flat-leaf for its fresh grassy-green flavor. Flat leaf tastes a little like cilantro to me and is less versatile.

Steak and chimichurri sauce is a classic pairing that is legendary in Argentina. But you don’t have to be a gaucho or cowboy to enjoy it. Whether you cook the steak indoors or outdoors, I think this will become one of your favorite meals—I know it’s one of mine! And it’s quick and easy, to boot! A simple three-ingredient rub is made from spices that you most likely have in your pantry, but it delivers flavor that is anything but simple! Flank steak should be served medium-rare and cut across the grain for maximum tenderness. Pair this dish with Tex-Mex Chocolate Sheet Cake and a German Chocolate Variation.

Ingredients